Kingston, Jamaica – May 2025 — Crystal Evans, the award-winning Jamaican author turned tech innovator, is making history as the first Jamaican founder to lead an application to Y Combinator with an AI startup born out of the Caribbean. Her venture, Fthen, isn’t just another AI platform — it’s a pioneering initiative that combines sustainability, automation, and economic empowerment through a solar-powered digital labor marketplace.
Launched under Atlantic Corporate Solutions alongside co-founders Joshua Habellard and Zygmunt Williams, Fthen enables small businesses to hire AI-powered “digital twins” of real professionals — from customer support agents and sales reps to tutors and marketing assistants. These AI agents operate 24/7 and are fully powered by renewable energy, making Fthen the first of its kind in the region and possibly the world.
“People don’t want AI to replace their creativity — they want it to handle the busywork,” Evans shares. “Fthen gives people their time back — to create, to perform, to innovate.”
Caribbean Tech Innovation Meets Global Potential
Fthen’s recent application to Y Combinator, one of the most influential startup accelerators globally, marks a major milestone. It’s the first known pitch from a Jamaican-led AI venture, presenting a timely and scalable solution for businesses seeking ethical, cost-effective, and sustainable automation.
Evans, a name well-known in Caribbean literary circles for her publishing company Crystal Evans S. Bookhouse, LLC, has authored over 30 titles and was awarded the 2024 Global Recognition Award for her contributions to Caribbean publishing and tech. She was also recently named one of the Women to Watch in Tech by the Jamaica Computer Society — a clear signal of her growing influence in the region’s innovation economy.
What Is Fthen?
At its core, Fthen is an AI-powered, solar-backed workforce platform built to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It enables these businesses to automate routine tasks, access global-standard AI agents, and transition into digitally-enabled operations without the burden of high infrastructure costs.
Key features include:
- AI Agent Marketplace: Hire pre-trained digital versions of professionals for tutoring, support, and sales.
- 24/7 Availability: AI agents are always active, enhancing business continuity and responsiveness.
- Green-Powered Infrastructure: All activity is supported by 100% renewable energy, verified via Telkes Blockchain for transparency and environmental accountability.
- IoT + Business Automation: Integration tools for automating inventory, task tracking, and internal workflows.
- Human-Centered Upskilling: Programs that prepare real workers to collaborate with or manage AI agents, ensuring inclusive progress.
A Mission-Driven Ecosystem
Unlike AI platforms driven by scale alone, Fthen is designed with regional and social impact in mind. It specifically addresses the challenges faced by Caribbean entrepreneurs and professionals in accessing global work opportunities. This isn’t about outsourcing labor — it’s about building digital bridges.
Through her earlier ventures, Adesh Jamaica and Carreau Professional Services, Evans helped hundreds of Caribbean workers upskill and connect to remote jobs. Now, she’s integrating AI into that equation — not as a replacement, but as a force multiplier.
“Tech can feel distant or extractive to small communities,” says co-founder Zygmunt Williams. “But Fthen is about ownership, sustainability, and designing AI that works for the people who need it most.”
A Glimpse Into the Future
Fthen is already live in demo form via Telkes.online, showcasing the platform’s core architecture, login functionality, and green-powered mission. Its beta rollout will begin with early adopters in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Evans credits Y Combinator’s Startup School with helping shape the foundation for Fthen and connect with mission-aligned collaborators. The team’s current goal is to attract like-minded partners and test their solar-powered platform at scale.
With a sharp focus on clean energy, inclusive tech, and automation designed to support — not displace — human potential, Crystal Evans and her team aren’t just building an app. They’re building the digital backbone of the Caribbean’s future workforce.
